The Path From Expert to Authority

“I don’t have a Phd, I haven’t written a book, I haven’t invented anything groundbreaking nor have I won any awards - can I still become a trusted authority?’

If that’s what’s been on your mind, then you’ve come to the right place because this blog post will shed some light on what it takes to become the Go-To in your field and I’ll share with you the exact path to take if you want to make the transition from technical expert to trusted authority.

First things first - becoming a Trusted Authority is not an end result, it’s a process. That means it doesn’t just happen, it certainly doesn’t happen overnight and it’s not something only a handful of special people can achieve. It happens because of strategic and aligned actions and yes- you can follow this roadmap also!

In our first official Trusted Authority podcast show, epi 50, I discussed why you actually want to become a Trusted Authority. If you haven’t listened to it yet, go back as today’s episode will make a lot more sense and hopefully will also motivate you even more to embark this journey.

Being known as the Go-To, the trusted authority in your field has a lot of advantages. Not only is it easiest to get referrals and introductions but it’s also easier to stand out from the crowded and competitive marketplace without having to be loud and of course, you’re able to charge a premium for what you do.

If you aren’t quite sure where you sit, I have a brand new quiz that gives you not only a very in depth analysis but also very practical steps to take to move the needle more to the right and make the transition from expert to authority. Hop over to impaccct.com/quiz and see where you’re at.

For now, I will give you the high-level overview and the stages you go through on your journey that everyone goes through. 

Now if you're thinking ‘but how long does each stage take’ - because I know you, you’re pragmatic - then I’m afraid to tell you that I don’t have a satisfactory answer for you. It depends first and foremost where you start, the resources, time and commitment you have to make the transition but also the urgency behind becoming the trusted authority.

I’ve been connected with high performing professionals who’ve been talking about building their personal brand so they can transition into another career but they haven’t acted on it for years because their job is too cushy so they don’t feel this sense of urgency.

Other clients of mine who’ve already either decided to change direction, may it be to set up their own consulting / service delivery business or they’ve outgrown their role to that level that it already sucks the life out of them, or they have been forced to make a change for one or another reason, they’re moving quickly. Again, it comes down to your purpose of becoming the trusted authority. 

But back to today’s topic. First thing first - for those of you who’re new but also a reminder for those of you who’ve been listening to the podcast for a while or read my book, the difference between expert and authority is mainly in how well someone can explain not only the problem they solve but also how they solve it. As Einstein once said: if you aren’t able to explain it in simple terms to a 6-year old, you haven't understood it properly yet.

Think about it - when someone throws technical jargon at you, do you think they’re smart and an authority? I don’t because I usually don’t understand a world, feel silly and with that, don’t even like them,

However, when someone can explain to me what they’re doing in a way that matters to me, of course I’m listening because now all of a sudden it’s about my benefit and let’s be real - nobody likes douche bags who’re full of themselves (not from a cup is full point of view) but from a ‘i know it all’ point of view.

There’s a reason why the principle of the hero’s journey has been adopted in the business world because we’re all looking for a guide on the side to make us the hero, not the other way round. We don’t want to pay a fortune to a company who positions themselves as money making machines who’re all about profits, right? We support a company that supports us in being and becoming the person we want to be, with whatever service or product they offer. 

Anyway - now we’ve clarified that, let’s go back to the stages - we all start at the bottom, the best kept secret and generalist. This is where we start building expertise, focus on getting relevant education and gaining experience. It could be let’s say in marketing or software engineering or in law. At that stage you simply get as much exposure to the different specialisations, disciplines, industries and methodologies as you possibly can. And that’s a good thing because otherwise you don’t even know what else is there for you. However, staying there forever, doing a little bit of everything will also keep you there. Especially in today’s world of work, where we have access not only to local talents, companies and suppliers but can access a global talent pool, simply having years of experience and degrees have become a commodity. This is where you’re easily replaced by someone who can do - whatever you do - cheaper, faster and potentially even better than you.

I’m sure you’ve experienced many times when extremely smart cookies stay small or miss out on promotions, pay rises or don’t even get the opportunity to interview for a higher level role. It’s not because they’re the expert. It’s actually because they’re the expert, the one who’s focused on mastering their craft, gained more credentials and certifications than anyone else but who also hasn’t invested any resources (and that means time, money and energy) into the marketing of this expertise.

So whilst being an expert, having a deep level of knowledge and experience is key to becoming a trusted authority, it is literally just the starting point. 

The real turning point happens when those experts can translate their knowledge by breaking down complex information into easy-to-understand terms, explaining concepts behind results, ideas and principles in a way that resonates with an audience.

Think of scientists.

How many do you know by name? Those are experts in their field, driven by delivering a result, and immersing themselves into their chosen field. Those who can translate their findings and share it through stories and language that makes sense to the audience they want to become known by are those who become authorities.

Take Brene Brown as an example.

She is a research professor studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy. However, she didn’t stop there, being the expert in it.

Brown translated the findings from her academic research into commercial language for the leadership space and wrote five (#1 New York Times best- selling) books. This is what made her a Trusted Authority on the topic of courage and leadership.

Another great example is Robert Cialdini.

His profession is psychology, and it could have ended there: Establishing himself as an academic figure and building a career in academia.

So I hope you see the patterns. Yes, becoming an authority starts with having expertise, at least in my world as I’m not working with influencers and people who want to be famous for the sake of it. My method is for professionals who want to be known for more than their credentials and titles and make a bigger impact with the message that’s behind their expertise.

This is a critical aspect here as it now evolves to having a unique insight for this expertise that comes from your experiences and learnings and is worth having a bigger conversation about it. This is then packaged in a message that is meaningful and supported by others.

So to recap, we all start being the best kept secret

Stage 1: Best Kept Secret

You are excellent at what you do, you enjoy doing it and you have already had some substantial wins under your belt, proving that you have a unique way to get results. The only problem- hardly anyone knows about you.

Often, they don’t even know you were the secret link who made the project/ campaign/ company etc a success. You worked like a weasel in the background to make it happen, in the hope people will pick up that it was you.

At this stage, even you struggle to articulate how you got the results and why your approach works, despite having had successful deliveries previously.

You do it intuitively and subconsciously which makes it hard to talk about it, let alone get others excited about it for them to buy in to the approach.

Stage 2: Resident Expert

In this stage you have gained some momentum, you are known for getting results, colleagues, maybe even senior leaders from the wider organisation know you.

You have gained some recognition and feedback on what others value about you.

However, it isn’t a reoccurring event yet and you don’t have a clearly defined message behind your area of expertise.

There is no method or outlined framework how you get results.

You are the fixer, and this is what you are known for – doing the doing instead of your doing impacting the bottom line.

Stage 3: Rising Star

You start to make a name for yourself, build a solid community by engaging in industry events, online conversations, maybe even through speaking engagements in your field.

You have built a bigger message around your area of expertise that goes beyond your credentials and your title. You are associated with how your take on things impacts the industry and/or profession you are in.

You slowly see that your message has merit and people start to buy into it. You gain momentum and are now aware that you need to be more intentional on how to spread your message.

At this stage, you most likely haven’t defined signature topics you would talk about, let alone have a clear idea how you can monetise your IP beyond your current role.

Stage 4: Trusted Authority

This is where tables have turned and it’s not you who is chasing opportunities. It’s opportunities chasing you.

You are not only sought after in your own company or community but in the wider industry because also other decision makers have become aware of you.

People reach out to you for opportunities, like speaking at big conferences, you get invited to be a guest on podcasts, get asked to join a board or get approached for more senior roles, internally or externally.

Your reputation is trusted for making an impact because it addresses a wider topic, and this is what decision makers are drawn to.

This is where the magic happens. This is where you can make a bigger impact, where you have a wider reach, where you can be choosy with the projects, opportunities, clients and assignments because not only do you have multiple options to choose from but those you choose, are worth a premium because the specialised value proposition you offer, is worth a lot to a certain audience and repels those who aren’t aligned with you, your insights and of course, solution. This is when you know you have a strong Brand because you stand for something very particular. 

And now over to you! Where are you in your journey?